Construction begins next week on the renovation of the Diocese of the Rio Grande’s Bosque Center in Albuquerque. The diocese will invest $1.5 million to renovate the former Spiritual Renewal Center it purchased on January 30, 2011 and will house the diocesan offices, a state-of-the-art conference center and a 45-room retreat house at the new facility.

Built in 2004 by the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’Ricci, the sisters turned the five acre facility over to a trust in 2009 to manage due to their dwindling numbers and declining health.

The Bosque Conference Center will be a “focal point” for the Diocese of the Rio Grande, the Rt. Rev. Michael Vono said earlier this year “because our diocese is the whole state.”

“Centered in the heart of Albuquerque, it will become the diocese’s heartbeat, giving new life and growth to evangelism in this third millennium and inspiring reconciliation in Christ,” Bishop Vono said.

The New Mexico Business Weekly stated that diocesan officials believe the project will infuse over $5 million into the local economy and will hire local contractors, architects and construction workers to build the center.